Less than a month after the Tyno scandal, Punjab government is under fire as at least 16 more people from Gujranwala died on Saturday due to consumption of another faulty cough syrup, Pakistan Today has learnt.
The death toll from the latest cough syrup-scandal has climbed to 33 in two days.
Reacting to the increasing death toll, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif ordered immediate seizure of the cough syrup and raw material used in manufacturing the medicine.
As of late Saturday evening, at least 200 people had been affected by the medicine Dextromethorphan, with at least 50 people in critical condition. Rescue 1122 sources told Pakistan Today that a total of 33 people were confirmed dead.
The substance ‘dextromethorphan’ has been identified as an active ingredient in Tyno cough syrup.
Doctors treating the patients who had arrived from Gujranwala to Lahore’s Mayo Hospital said that all patients had similar symptoms. Doctors said that they arrived in semi-conscious state and were foaming at the mouth. Out of 12 patients who arrived in Lahore for treatment, two lost their lives and the other 10 were stated to be in a critical condition. Under orders by the chief minister, Gujranwala DCO Najam Ahmad Shah conducted raids in at least 224 medical stores. A total of 11,660 bottles of the faulty medicine was recovered from at least 81 stores and two people were also arrested in this regard.
Expressing sorrow over the loss of life caused by the cough syrup, Shahbaz said that action would be taken against individuals who were responsible for the circulation of the medicine.
Furthermore, the chief minister said that samples of the seized syrup must be sent for tests abroad and further action would be taken after results were obtained.
Presiding over a high level meeting at Model Town, he directed the chief secretary to seize all stock of the imported raw material being used for the preparation of syrup. He further said that the manufactured syrup should also be confiscated immediately.
The chief minister instructed the chief secretary to personally monitor the lifting of the stock of raw material.
Moreover, Shahbaz said that calamities were a natural phenomenon but that did not mean that the government should not take preventive measures to avoid such incidents. He stressed the need to ensure quality control of raw materials being used to manufacture medicines.
